To Keep A Secret
by Ogreatrandom
Summary: Zoe and Wash struggle to keep their relationship a secret from the Captain, who is completely oblivious. My first Firefly fic.
1. Chapter 1

**To Keep A Secret**

_**Author's Note:**_

_So this is just a little humor fanfic I came up with that details Zoe and Wash's early relationship, Mal's reaction to it, and hopefully it'll continue up to their wedding. I'm trying to get things right but if I do make any mistakes be sure to tell me. I mean nicely, please. Oh and speaking of nice, reviews would really be nice…_

**Chapter #1:**

Mal was walking towards the bridge of Serenity thinking about whether they should bring their latest haul, several crates full of guns, to Patience at Whitefall settlement or to Badger at Persephone.

He gazed over at Zoe's room as he passed, he had planned on just looking up how far they were from each destination on the cortex but Mal decided that instead he'd just ask Zoe. His loyal first mate had always had good instincts about that sort of thing. The captain turned to her door and opened the hatch, climbing down the ladder into her room as he spoke.

"Hey Zoe," Mal called, "I am sorely needing some advise. Could you-" He looked down and stopped short. Fast asleep on Zoe's bed was Serenity's pilot Wash. Not only was he asleep but his shirt was thrown carelessly on the floor.

"Captain!" Wash jerked awake and sat up.

"Wash what the ruttin' hell are you doing napping in Zoe's room?" Mal asked looking baffled as Wash struggled to retrieve his shirt from off the floor and pull it over his head.

"Umm… well… I wasn't-" Wash struggled to find a good excuse as he stood anxiously in front of Mal, "Oh! Is this Zoe's room?" Incredulous Mal nodded. "Ah, I can't believe it. I must have gotten mixed up and come here into Zoe's room by mistake." Wash laughed nervously and Mal rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"You're just lucky that she wasn't in her room," Mal told the pilot as the two of them climbed back out of the room, "cause she would have killed you if you'd barged in and startled her and I worked too hard to find you to wish to get another pilot so soon."

"Thanks for the advice," Wash replied cheerfully, "bye-bye now!"

His pilot was acting funny and Mal had half a mind to stick around and find out what it was. But he really did want to ask Zoe what she thought about where to take the goods. So he set off to search the ship for his first mate.

After Mal had walked out of sight Wash let out a sigh of relief. Then he climbed quickly back down into Zoe's room. Zoe came out from where she'd been hiding under the bed. Her hair was mused up and she was still buttoning up her shirt as Wash approached.

"Is he gone?" she asked.

"He's gone," Wash assured her. She smiled and leaned into him for a kiss. "You know," he told her as they broke apart, "it occurred to me that I should have hidden under the bed and you should have been the one getting rid of the Captain."

"I know honey," she murmured brushing a soft kiss across Wash's cheek, "but that way was a lot funnier." He kissed her again.

"Do you think he's suspicious?" Wash asked.

"I highly doubt that," Zoe answered with a wide grin, "now take that shirt back off."

---- 

Mal was very confused. He couldn't find his first mate, though he had found his pilot easily and yet in the wrong place. He wandered around the ship but still didn't seem to find her. Almost an hour later while he was sitting in the kitchen having a snack Zoe came in.

"Zoe," Mal said incredulously staring at her in shock, "where have you been? I searched the whole gorram ship from top to bottom and I didn't find a whisper of you anywhere."

"I've been around," she told him breezing past the question, "nowhere special. You wanted to talk to me sir?"

"Yeah I-" Mal started then looked over at his first mate with a funny expression, "wait. How did you know that I needed to talk to you?"

"Sir, you just said you were looking for me so I assumed you wanted to talk to me," Zoe answered sensibly.

"Oh," Mal said placated, "so I wanted to know you're opinion about where to bring those crates of boom-boom sticks we swiped from that bandit camp. My thinking was that either Badger or Patience would pay the most for them." Zoe considered it for a moment.

"Well Badger would pay more for them but I doubt that he would need them all," she thought aloud as Mal listened seriously, "more likely Patience would have the most use for a large cache like that. She's been struggling to get a foothold on that moon for a full month now and would likely appreciate any supplies we could sell to her."

"Well," he nodded, "then I'd best go and inform our easily confused pilot to change course and head for the Whitefall moon. You know," he leaned close to Zoe, "I'm a little concerned about his sense of direction. He got lost trying to find his room, ended up in your bunk instead." Zoe's expression didn't change in the least.

"It is a concern, sir."

"So I reckon we'd better keep an eye on him," Mal continued, "make sure he doesn't pilot my gorram ship right into an asteroid field or a planet."

"I'll watch him closely sir," Zoe said fighting to keep her grin hidden.

"I guess I'll go and tell him," Mal sighed standing up.

"It's okay," Zoe interrupted standing up, "I'll go tell him sir." And with that Zoe walked out of the kitchen and headed for the bridge. "You can get ready to give those possible renters a tour of the shuttle."

Five tours later Mal was exhausted. He'd given each of the people the same tour and absolutely none of them had felt right. It wasn't that they hadn't seemed like they'd have been good tenants but Mal felt very protective of Serenity. He wanted everything living in her to be… he wasn't sure what they had to be. Exceptional, special, maybe the word he was looking for was worthy.

The next person to come was a fancy companion. She looked regal and definitely was better dressed then anyone who had ever set foot on the ship before. Mal had a hard time keeping his eyes off of her, she was beautiful and had a distinct presence.

"Well here she is," Mal said as he opened the doors to reveal the small but cozy shuttle. The companion followed him through the doors inspecting the ship. "Nice ain't she?"

"Smallish," the woman answered.

Meanwhile on the bridge Zoe and Wash were making out.

"How much time do we have?" Wash asked taking a break to take a breath of air. Zoe arched an eyebrow.

"Not enough time for that," she answered sternly knowing exactly what Wash was asking. Wash began kissing her neck gently. "Then again," she grinned.

"Oh Zoe," Wash whispered, "I love you." She froze and stepped away quickly.

"What did you say?" Zoe asked. Wash looked thoughtful for a minute before replying.

"I love you Zoe," he answered confidently.

"But," Zoe persisted, "why would you say a foolish thing like that?"

"Um Zoe," Wash tried to answer again looking a little confused, "I thought I'd already answered that question with my previous statement. I love you Zoe." Zoe took a few more steps back.

"Why'd you have to ruin this?" she asked before running off the bridge.

As Zoe stalked through the kitchen area she saw Mal sitting at the main table reviewing all the different applicants who wanted to rent the extra shuttle. He had them all spread out.

"Oh am I glad to see you Zoe," he said as she stormed in, "can we afford to rent the shuttle for a quarter less than our asking price?"

"Yes sir," she muttered as she walked out of the room not stopping to look back.

"Guess the shuttle's going to the whore," Mal commented balling up the rest of the applications and throwing them at the trash can.

The second one he threw missed just as Wash came into the room. Wash sat down across from Mal and put his head in his hands.

"Hey Wash," Mal said in an excited voice, "there's going to be a whore living on the shuttle!"

"Whatever," Wash muttered in Chinese from under his arms. Disappointed by the reaction Mal walked out. Though Mal hadn't considered it before it occurred to him then that his pilot might not go for women-folk.

"I shouldn't wear such tight pants," Mal muttered to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**_

_Thanks so much to all the people who reviewed. This is my first Firefly fic and so I was a little nervous, after all it's one of the best shows ever! Anyway thanks to Quinni (Thanks for the suggestions, I would love any tips you can give me.), BlueEyedBrigadier, qwerty, Windrider, HiddenCries77, PseudonynA1 (I hope I make it there too, if you have any ideas I would really love it.), and Lenore (Yeah I hate, "sickeningly sweet fairy tale cliche romance" and am glad that you don't see my story as such.). Glad people enjoyed the Tight Pants bit!_

_I wasn't sure about Inara and Zoe's interaction, I mean they never really have too much to do with each other on the show or in the movie. I almost wanted to skip it but I kind of felt that doing that would be like chickening out, so it's in here. All in all there are a lot of things in here that gave me some trouble. If anyone has any hints, tips, or suggestions for improvement I would be glad to hear them._

_**Disclaimer:**_

_Well, I have a confession, I don't own Firefly. I know, you're shocked, but it's all true! I'm only borrowing them from the amazing Joss Whedon. I'm not making money off this or anything._

**Chapter #2:**

As Inara walked onto the ship she felt a tingle of excitement. She hadn't felt like this since the day she'd first entered the Academy. Inara wasn't sure what it was about the ship Serenity but somehow she knew that traveling with this ship was the beginning of something great.

She was dragging the last, but heaviest trunk into the ship when she saw another woman. She was tall with dark skin and dark hair. She didn't say anything by way of a greeting but she fearlessly came right up to the Companion and lifted the large trunk up.

"Let me help you," she offered even though she already was.

"Thank you," Inara answered gratefully in Chinese. The two women made their way up the slightly rusted stairs to the shuttle. Inara barely had to do anything, the other woman was strong enough to lift the trunk easily. When they got their the woman put the trunk down next to the bed.

"I'm Zoe," she stuck a hand out and Inara shook it feeling calluses that told of years of hard work, "I'm the First Mate and you're welcome to come to me about anything as long as you're not getting in the way of my job."

"I'll be sure to do that," Inara smiled making a mental note never to interrupt this fierce woman. A man came in, he was rather short with blond hair, not very intrusive looking.

"This," Zoe said stiffly, "is our pilot."

"Call me Wash," the man said shaking Inara's hand. But he glanced over at the First Mate and Inara was shocked to see something in his gaze that she had never suspected to find on this little Firefly.

"He's to teach you how to use your shuttle," Zoe said coldly, "but if he doesn't explain it proper I'll lend you the instruction pamphlet." The two glared at each other, ignoring the Companion who was staring at them.

Inara had spent too many years training herself to notice these details to ignore them now, though she knew this was none of her concern. The Pilot and the First Mate were in love, though they were in a fight now.

Just then the Captain, Malcolm Reynolds, strode into her shuttle, as bold as brass. Inara opened her mouth to scold the Captain but stopped. She doubted that occurrences like this would happen often, he was just coming by to check up on how she was getting along.

"Zoe," he said to the First Mate, "we've got trouble. You'd best come to be briefed on the situation."

"Yes sir," she answered turning and leaving, the picture of soldierly obedience.

"Is everything all right?" Inara asked Mal, worried.

"Nothing to fret over," he said quickly in an upbeat tone, "just an honest disagreement between folks that will require some creative and possibly persuasive negotiating." Inara, having had years of training, could tell that he was glossing over things and that the situation might not be as simple as he'd said but he went on before she could call his bluff. "You'd better make sure all of your things are inside just in case and you can leave your deposit on the table in the kitchen."

And on that note he left as quickly as he'd entered. Inara sighed and began to listen intently as the Pilot, Wash, went over the basics of the shuttle. At least life on Serenity promised to be exciting.

- -

Zoe scanned the information Mal was showing her. She sighed, wondering why things were never easy.

"So do we fight or stay?" she asked keeping her voice neutral. The Captain considered before answering.

She knew, from years of working with him, that his taking time before answering meant that they were going to run. If he had been deciding to fight he would already have told her and be off getting extra rounds before she could blink. Finally he answered.

"As much as I'd love to stay and show these," he lapsed into Chinese, "no good space shit," he switched back as abruptly as he'd switched in, "that they can't just sidle up and take that which don't belong to them it'll be better for us to get to Whitefall at the soonest so we can get paid."

"Very good sir," Zoe approved of the plan. It was smarter and safer then fighting. Certainly Zoe would rather face the people who were on their way now with the intention to steal from them, it was in her nature to come at problems head on, but it was an unnecessary risk.

"So can you go and get Wash and tell him that we have to be leaving now?" Zoe wanted nothing more then to refuse, not wanting to see Wash if she could avoid it, but at the same time she didn't want Mal prying as to why she wouldn't deal with the Pilot.

"Meet you on the bridge," she answered.

- -

"What are you and the First Mate fighting about?" Inara asked Wash as he finished showing her the controls. The man turned pink.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he stuttered. He was a terrible liar.

"I'm just quite good at picking up on these things," Inara explained, "I've spent years learning how to read people"

"It's difficult to explain," he began but just then Zoe came back in.

"Time to run," she said briskly, "we've got trouble coming." Wash and Inara followed her to the bridge.

"Speed up," they heard Mal yelling as they got closer, "those Ruttin' vultures are almost on us!" Wash broke into a run and threw himself into the pilot's seat. He flicked a few switches and then took off.

The scope showed that they were being chased by two ships, both were fast in atmo but probably couldn't keep up with Serenity once they were in space. Wash told the Captain this as he began to head off planet.

"_Probably_?" Mal spluttered but Zoe put a restraining hand on his arm.

"Let the man do his job," she scolded lightly. Wash looked back and sent her a small grin before focusing once more on their pursuers.

Zoe watched in awe as Wash maneuvered Serenity in a sort of dance to avoid fire from the two ships. Guns were easy to Zoe, she'd always been especially gifted with weapons. But the controls for a ship were something that she'd never had the knack for, that and small talk.

_I wonder if normal people who see me, or Mal fight feel like this_, she thought as she watched Wash's hands move at lightning speed over the controls.

The fifteen minutes it took for Wash to take them off-world felt more like fifteen seconds to Zoe. Wash was able to avoid their attackers and then once in space he had been able to leave them behind.

"Good work," Mal congratulated the pilot clapping him on the back, "go and get yourself a drink of water. I'll take the helm for a few minutes." Wash thanked Mal, grateful to have a chance to stretch his legs. He didn't notice that Zoe had followed him until she spoke once they were in the kitchen.

"I love you," she told him. The dreaded words were easier to say then she'd imagined they would be. The next thing either of them knew they were kissing. "My room?" Zoe asked between kisses.

"Oh no," Wash spoke pleadingly, "remember last time?"

"Your room then," Zoe said and the two of them practically ran to Wash's room.

Meanwhile on the Bridge Mal was cursing steadily in Chinese at something blinking on the screen. Inara peered over his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"They have a friend," he answered, "and that friend is coming to pay a call on us." He stood up and ran to the kitchen only to find it empty. "Where could he have gotten to?" Mal wondered aloud. He dashed to the crew's quarters still followed by Inara. On reaching Wash's room he saw that the door was locked. He quickly unlocked the door, (it was one of the little perks to being the Captain of the ship,) and went to open the door.

"Captain Reynolds," Inara grabbed the man's arm, "before you go in there there's something you should know." Mal easily pulled out of the woman's grasp.

"I already know," Mal assured Inara.

"You do?"

"Yeah," Mal answered rolling his eyes, "Wash is gay." And with that he opened the door and went down into Wash's room. Inara rolled her own eyes, shaking her head at the Captain's denseness.

_**Author's Note (Again):**_

_Okay so I don't have a clear grasp on exactly Mal should react. I mean I have some ideas but I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas anyone has. Please let me know what you think! Hope you liked the chapter._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note:**_

_Okay, so this is going to be a short chapter, sorry. And then after this one we'll be seeing Patience at Whitefall, which I'm very excited for._

_A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed! ThePrincess04, espergirl04, Jas-TheMaddTexan, PseudonymA1, BlueEyedBrigadier, Hope-W, Stormkpr, HiddenCries77, Twitchy Louie, and teshara. You guys rock! And especially thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, they were all hysterical (you can see them on the review page). They were HiddenCries77, BlueEyedBrigadier, and PseudonymA1. They were all awesome suggestions and I used at least one from each of them. Keep up the suggestions everyone!_

_Anyway I have homework to do, (this is my first week of college and I'd hate to fall behind so soon). I'll try to write soon!_

**Chapter #3:**

A second later Inara heard the Captain's voice coming from inside the room.

"Wash you are needed- What the hell?" he stopped talking abruptly and there were several moments where he said nothing. "Zoe?" he said suddenly.

"I'd appreciate it if you turned around sir," her voice came calmly. Peeking down into the room Inara could see Mal turn around. She couldn't see his face but his voice sounded like there was a lot of suppressed rage.

"Wash you are needed up on the bridge and not in Zoe's pants. Go now! While I'd love to sort this all out right now we have some imminent danger that needs to be seen to first to ensure that there is a later for us to discuss this in," Mal was babbling and the fact that he sounded very cute doing so flitted in and out of Inara's head before she could block it. A minute later Mal led a partially dressed Zoe and Wash out of the room and back to the bridge.

-- 

After the danger had been averted and Serenity had been set down Mal, Zoe, and Wash sat around the table in the kitchen. Zoe looked as cool and calm as ever. Wash was nervous and kept twitching. Mal kept fingering his gun. Inara busied herself making tea while trying to convince herself that she was not being nosy. Two other men were in the room.

One was a young man with long hair, the mechanic. He didn't stay saying that he needed to get some parts to fix the engine. Outrunning their enemies had cost them, which was not improving Mal's mood.

The other was a very large man, built with solid muscle. He hadn't said anything to Inara but she could feel him watching her. The man, obviously a mercenary, was sitting on a chair a little way out of the center of the room cleaning a knife. The smirk on his face made it clear that he found the whole situation amusing, especially the twitchiness of the pilot.

"So Wash," Mal began with loads of fake cheeriness in his voice, "you're not gay?" Zoe covered a smirk with her hand while Wash, clearly flabbergasted, stuttered to come up with an answer.

"Why would you think something like that?" he asked finally, "I love Zoe!" Mal sighed and rolled his eyes.

"How about we not play pretend as it tends to make me cranky? If you need that sort of thing then why not you see our brand new whore and not the first mate who has plenty of other jobs?"

"Now see here Captain Reynolds," Inara burst out, "there are two things wrong with that. One I specifically demanded that you not refer to me as a whore-"

"It must have slipped my mind," Mal told her innocently.

"And second I will not, under any circumstances, be servicing you or anyone employed by you! We already went over this!"

"You're not?" the large man asked sounding crestfallen.

"Jayne out!" Zoe said and the man meandered off taking all of his weapons with him.

"Then maybe I should fire Wash," Mal directed his peeved glare at said pilot.

"You can't do that Mal!" Wash cried.

"Captain," Mal snapped, "it's Captain to you."

"You can't do that _Captain_," Wash said sarcastically.

"Sir," Zoe spoke up standing between the two men, "may I have a word with you in private?" For a second the Captain glared as if he was going to say no but then he stormed out of the kitchen, followed by Zoe.

"You ought to know better Zoe," Mal berated her, "shipboard romances make everything go haywire. And that's before things fall apart between the two love birds. If you two break up then how am I supposed to keep the peace on my boat?"

"It's known of your business sir," Zoe told him, her voice calm but her eyes burning, "and if you fire Wash then I'm leaving too." And with that she turned on her heel and marched back to the kitchen. "We're going for a walk," she told Wash who followed her quickly to avoid Mal who had strode back into the kitchen after her.

"Well you handled that well," Inara said sarcastically after they had left her and Mal alone in the kitchen.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked.

"Just let them be," she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air, "it's not a particularly difficult concept to master. Just let two adults do as they will without you butting into their affairs!"

"Like a whore would know anything about all this!"

"I know more about relationships then you ever will," Inara yelled back, "and for the very last time I am not a whore and you shall not call me one!" With that, entirely pissed at the Captain's attitude towards Wash and Zoe's relationship, not to mention his attitude about her, the companion stalked back to her shuttle, the tea abandoned on the kitchen table.

"Jayne?" Mal said after she'd left.

"Yeah Mal?" Jayne said from outside the doorway where he'd been eavesdropping from.

"Why is everyone mad at me all of the sudden?" Jayne came in and grabbed a protein bar.

"Could be cause you're a jackass?" Jayne suggested through a full mouth as he took a bite out of the bar.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:**_

_Sorry many, many times for the delay. I kept writing a paragraph, and then getting interrupted, then another then having to stop. But I hope that people like this. I think it moves sort of fast but, oh well._

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Jas-TheMaddTexan, warrior zoe, NazgulGirl, BlueEyedBrigadier, AgentRusco, and Sophia Adamo. I'm so glad that people are enjoying this odd little story!_

**Chapter #4:**

The rest of the trip to Whitefall Moon went mostly in awkward silences and Mal ignoring Wash and acting cold towards Zoe. The Captain, however, didn't speak to her again on the subject. Mostly he was afraid of her reaction but he was also a little worried that she would go through with her threat to leave the ship. Mal would be willing to do anything to keep that from happening, even tolerating Zoe's escapades with Wash.

As he went onto the bridge he found Zoe and Wash making out. They didn't notice the Captain standing there, hands on his hips so Mal cleared his throat. The effects definitely lifted Mal's spirits.

Wash jumped as if he'd been stung and looking at Mal's furious face he took a step back and ran into the pilots chair. He fell over in a heap and Mal grinned. Zoe directed a glare at the Captain who looked back with an innocent _'What did I do?'_ expression.

"If you two are quite done," Mal drawled, "I'd like to know how much longer until we touch down at Whitefall."

"Less then an hour sir," Zoe assured him as she helped Wash up. Then she kissed the pilot shortly before walking out of the room.

Mal glared at Wash who looked around as if looking for an escape route that was not blocked by an angry Captain.

"I'll umm, just go… I think I should monitor our progress… alone… until it's time to set down."

"I think you should," Mal said coldly. Then he left and Wash breathed a sigh of relief. The Captain had barely gotten out of ear shot of Wash when he found Zoe blocking his path.

"Sir, I think you should stop this childish behavior." Mal's eyes were drawn unintentionally to the gun that Zoe was wearing.

"Are you mad at me Zoe?"

"I think it's you who's mad at me," she answered looking at him strangely.

"I'm not mad at you Zoe," Mal replied as if it were obvious, "I'm mad at that good for nothing pilot."

"Then yes, I am mad at you."

"Then maybe I'm mad at both of you!" Mal shouted after her as she left, brushing past Jayne on her way.

"What the hell was that about?" Jayne asked from the other side of the hallway.

"I don't have a clue," Mal admitted.

An hour later Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were getting ready to go to meet Patience and make the exchange. Jayne was stuffing a few extra guns onto his person and Zoe was making sure that her own gun was loaded. Mal went over to her nervously.

"Zoe," he said.

"Don't feel like having a chat now sir," she told him.

"Look Zoe I know we can't sort this out at the present but I have to know," he paused awkwardly, "I mean even though at the moment we're not getting on friendly like-"

"I won't let any personal issues affect my behavior," Zoe interrupted him.

"You'll stay focused?"

"I'm focused to the job sir," Zoe told him, "always." Mal nodded to her solemnly, thanking everything he could think of that Zoe was on his side, and that nothing would change that. Even his own stubborn character.

"Let's get moving," Jayne spoiled the moment calling out raucously, "I'm itching to get paid today!" The three of them got onto the mule and headed off towards the meeting place.

Wash watched them leave through the window off the bridge. Every time he watched the three of them go off on another job it got harder, because each time he learned more and more about what happened on these little jobs.

When Mal, Zoe, and Jayne got close to the meeting place Mal motioned more Zoe to stop the mule. Once she had he turned to Jayne.

"You take the goods off into that valley we passed and then bring the mule back to get Zoe and me. It's always best to have a little extra insurance just in case." And so then Mal and Zoe went on foot to the meeting with Patience.

"Well here you are Mal," Patience said as she rode over, accompanied by two other men on horseback.

"I am indeed," he answered, "but is my money?" Patience held out the money and tossed it to Mal.

"Now where's my stuff?" Zoe noticed the two men tense as she asked. Her instincts told her that something was wrong. But before she could tell Mal he had already given the location. As soon as he had the two men plus Patience drew their guns and started firing.

Zoe, prepared, jumped to the side and rolled behind a boulder. A second later her gun was out. She glanced over to see where Mal had gone.

Her stomach fell out from under her as Zoe looked over and saw the Captain. He was laying on the ground, and a sluggish trail of blood was wetting the dirt next to him. Always the soldier, Zoe stood and fired her guns at the two men automatically. She heard a grunt and a thud as one of her bullets struck it's target and the man fell from his horse.

As quickly as she could Zoe ran to Mal, still shooting at the remaining man. Patience herself had already turned tail and ran. The other man followed a second later. Zoe pulled the Captain to his feet and carried him to the rider-less horse.

"Zoe?" Mal said as she lifted him up onto the horse.

"It's going to be okay," she told him, "just hold on."

-- 

Inara came to the bridge to see Wash sitting there staring out the window.

"What exactly happens on these jobs?" she asked the pilot. He shrugged before answering.

"The fewer details we're told the better," Wash told her, "least that's my opinion." Inara noticed that he didn't look from the window.

"You worry about her?" He chuckled.

"It's stupid right? I mean when you see her in action, she's a true warrior. But still," he sighed, "I do worry." Finally he turned to look at Inara. "I want to marry her." Inara looked out over the pilot's shoulder and out the window as she noticed movement.

"Here they come," Inara told him.

-- 

"We need to get off moon and to the nearest hospital," Zoe commanded as soon as she and Jayne had carried the Captain to the infirmary.

"There's one pretty close," Wash told her, "if we push the engines we'll be there shortly."

"Go," she told him with a soft kiss.

"Will he live?" Inara asked horrified at the blood pouring from the wound.

"Did we get paid?" Jayne asked.

"Jayne out!" Zoe and Inara yelled as one.

-- 

The hospital on the small moon was not one of the greatest by a long shot but they also didn't require more then the minimum amount of identity. Zoe was easily able to check Mal in under an assumed name and the doctors got to work on him at once. It wasn't long before the doctor came to the waiting room where they were all sitting around, not talking.

"He'll be fine," the doctor told them all, "he's still out but he'll come around soon."

"Thank you," Zoe told the doctor shaking her hand.

"We actually have a Shepherd in there now." Zoe hid a smile, Mal would not like that.

"Zoe," Wash said softly, "can I talk to you?"

-- 

Mal opened his eyes and found a young man, wearing a Shepherd's garb leaning over him.

"My child do not be afraid," the younger man said, "for the good Lord has guided you back to-"

"Shut up," Mal told him.

"I know that you are afraid-"

"Go away."

"I'm deducing that you're upset," the young Shepherd said gently.

"I'm deducing that you're an idiot," Mal replied bluntly, "I'm out of here." The young Shepherd walked out of the room muttering under his breath.

The first people that Mal saw in the waiting room were Jayne and Inara. They appeared to be arguing.

"It's damn foolish of them," Jayne was saying, "and when the Captain finds out-"

"He's still unconscious," Inara cut him off, "don't worry."

"About what?" Mal asked coming up behind the pair. Inara twirled around, and even in that moment Mal had to marvel at her grace. "Don't worry about what?" Mal asked again. Inara and Jayne exchanged glances.

"Nothing," Inara said in a would-be calm voice.

"Zoe and Wash running off to get hitched," Jayne said.

A second later Mal was striding off to find Zoe and Wash to stop the wedding from happening. He was closely followed by Inara, (hoping to help Zoe and Wash succeed), and Jayne, (who just thought that it would be funny to see what happened when Mal caught up with the couple.)


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:**_

_Sorry this chapter is so short. After this there'll be an epilogue but other then that this story is pretty much finished. I hope you all have enjoyed and that you don't hate it. I had fun writing this since Firefly is one of the best television shows ever made. It gave me an excuse to watch the episodes as "research"._

_Anyway thanks for reading and reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to the reviewers, warrior zoe, Sophia Adamo, Windrider (thanks for the idea!), and BlueEyedBrigadier (thank you also for the idea!)._

**Chapter #5:**

"Excuse me," the Shepherd tending to the garden outside of the building turned to see a tall man wearing a brown coat, followed by a glamorous woman and a big man with a smirk on his face. "Is this the local church?"

"Yes," the Shepherd answered. A second later the man in the brown coat had wrenched the doors open and was storming down the aisle. "Man must have a mighty powerful urge to pray…" the Shepherd said to himself as he went back to work on the garden.

"Mal," Wash said in a frightened gasp.

"I object," Mal shouted, "I don't care if you've passed the point already but I object I object I object!"

"Sir, may have a minute with you in private," Zoe said in a dangerous voice. Mal shrugged and nodded. Zoe pulled him outside in a few short strides.

"So," Jayne said to Wash, "marriage. That sucks."

"Sir you shouldn't be here," Zoe said once they were outside.

"Well maybe I wanted to wish you well on your day of bliss," Mal tried. Zoe raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Well fine, I came to tell you you're making a mistake."

"I don't think it's a mistake sir but thank you for expressing your feelings." Zoe turned to go back into the church.

"No, hey wait," Mal called, "I didn't run alls the way over here to express myself, I came to stop you."

"And exactly how," Zoe asked, "were you planning on doing that?"

"Shouldn't the fact that I think it's a mistake be reason enough for you to stop?" Mal asked. Zoe crossed her arms and shook her head. "Well in that case," Mal searched for something to say, "in that case I… I **order** you not to get married!"

"Sir you're delusional," she commented dryly, "perhaps it has something to do with the blood loss."

"The what?" Mal followed Zoe's gaze to see that blood was dripping through his bandages.

"Now," Zoe supported the Captain and led him forcibly into the church, "we'll get you back to the hospital as soon as possible but for now why don't you just sit down here," she lowered him onto a pew, "and rest."

"But I-"

"Inara can sit next to you," Zoe suggested and Inara rushed to comply, "why don't you just concentrate on the tassels on her shawl."

Mal looked down at the tassels, maybe it was just the blood loss but they were very fascinating. Also something smelled beautiful, Mal realized it was Inara and breathed in deeply, not noticing that the Shepherd had resumed the ceremony. Mal looked back at the tassels and noticed that their numbers had doubled.

"Yep," he murmured softly, "definitely the blood loss."

Vaguely in the distance he heard the sound of someone saying "You may now kiss the bride."


	6. Epilogue

_**Author's Note:**_

_Yeah I know this has taken me forever. I really didn't want the epilogue to be like this, but this was all I could come up with. It's also a lot shorter then I would have liked but I didn't know how to make it longer. Anyway I hope you like it and thank you so much for reading this story._

**Epilogue:**

"Wow Zoe," Kaylee sighed, "that story is real romantic." The whole crew was sitting around the meal table, enjoying a cake in celebration of Zoe and Wash's anniversary. The couple was holding hands and beaming happily.

"More like that story was a real snore," Jayne snorted, "we hear this same story every year and every year I can't figure out why you make me out to be a rude asshole."

"Amazing," Simon commented, "that is the exact description I was thinking of."

"You want to go doc?" Jayne demanded half rising in his chair.

"Sit down," Mal ordered in Chinese before switching back to English, "no one is going to fight tonight, and that includes you Jayne. Just eat your cake and keep your mouth shut."

"But-"

"Mouth shut Jayne."

"I'm just saying that Zoe makes you out to be a fool in her story," Jayne pointed out.

"I may have seemed a tad out of touch with the goings on in my ship in Zoe's tale," Mal said, "but the truth is that I was only acting the fool. I knew what was going on the whole time." This claim was met by jeers and disbelieving laughter from all around the table.

"The pupil of the human eyeball expands and contracts with changing light and when the person tells a lie," River told them.

"Fascinating," Wash said looking across the table at the captain, "is anyone close enough to see Mal's gorgeous eyeballs up close? I can't tell if the pupils are doing whatever River said eyes do when people tell outright lies."

"You can all believe what you want," Mal protested, "but I'm telling you that I knew what I was doing. I always know what I'm doing."

"I do not need to look at his eyes to know that that statement is a lie," Inara laughed.

"I am deeply hurt," Mal pouted.

"So," Kaylee turned to Zoe and Wash, "are you two going to do anything special since this is your fifth anniversary?"

"Well," Zoe looked over at her husband, "we were thinking that the Shepherd would help us renew our vows."

"Ohh," Kaylee squealed, "that is so sweet." Jayne looked as if he had something very different to say about the idea but a glare from Mal caused him to keep his mouth shut.

"I think that is an excellent idea," Book smiled at the couple, "would you two like to have the ceremony in here or somewhere else?"

"Perhaps in the cargo bay," Wash suggested. The whole crew stood up and began to make their way towards the cargo bay. Book led the way, thumbing though his Bible for the proper section. Kaylee was gushing to Simon who listened to her every word attentively. River was humming the wedding march under her breath while Zoe and Wash smiled at each other. Mal was walking next to Inara, and he could not help but to notice that she was once again wearing a beautiful shawl. Jayne brought up the rear.

"Hey," Jayne grinned, "maybe Mal won't pass out this time."

_**The End**_


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